Nauz Magdaleno's Path From Law School to Real Estate Leadership

Written by:

Steve Marcinuk

Date:

06 Jun 2025

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“I wanted my voice to be heard. That was my biggest priority,” says Nauz Magdaleno, Team Lead at 1Vision Real Estate, explaining her journey from law school graduate to real estate leadership. “I wanted to be able to say A, B, or C, and then see it actually put into action, and witness tangible results.”

This drive for impact has guided Magdaleno through a remarkable career trajectory, from navigating the 2008 housing crash as a young agent to building a technology-forward brokerage that’s redefining agent support in today’s competitive market.

From Market Crash to Law School and Beyond

Magdaleno’s real estate career began in Tennessee at age 22, just as the 2008 housing market collapsed. Fresh out of college with a psychology degree, she quickly adapted to the challenging environment.

“The market had crashed completely. It was January 2008, and I became a short sale specialist because that’s all anyone was doing,” Magdaleno recalls. Despite finding success negotiating with major banks like Bank of America, she felt pulled toward higher education and enrolled in law school while continuing her real estate work.

“I remember being in contract classes and simultaneously negotiating real estate contracts,” she says. “My professors would call on me when I was in the middle of reviewing deals.”

After graduating and briefly working at a law firm handling title and real estate matters, Magdaleno made a bold decision: to leave Tennessee for California with “nothing but my law degree, my resume, and whatever money I had saved up.”

Finding Her Leadership Voice

In California, Magdaleno sought positions that would allow her voice to be heard. “I wanted to be in leadership. I wanted to be able to say A, B, or C, and then see it actually put into action.”

She joined Keller Williams and quickly distinguished herself, eventually taking a position at KW Hollywood Hills where she remained for five years. Her reputation for building successful teams preceded her—at one office, she grew the agent count from 17 to 180.

A Pivotal Moment

A traumatic incident became the catalyst for Magdaleno’s next career move. Her husband was violently attacked in broad daylight outside their Beverly Hills office in an attempted robbery.

“We were signing loan documents for our new house. I was upstairs, and my husband was five minutes behind me,” she recounts. “I got a call from a Beverly Hills number saying he’d been attacked. When I ran downstairs, he was on the ground surrounded by police and ambulances.”

The attackers had attempted to steal her husband’s watch, a Rolex she’d given him as a wedding gift. When he resisted, they ran him over with their car, breaking his ankle and requiring surgery. The entire incident was captured on video.

This experience prompted their move to Orange County for safety reasons, coinciding with the 2023 market downturn and the birth of their child. Despite these challenges, Magdaleno partnered with others to launch 1Vision Real Estate.

“We moved with a newborn baby, my husband couldn’t work because of his injuries, the market crashed, and we had a $10,000 mortgage,” she says. “Somehow we made it through, despite money flowing out and limited income coming in. And then we opened our doors at 1Vision.”

Technology Partnership with Purpose

A critical decision in launching 1Vision was choosing the right technology partner. After evaluating several options, Magdaleno selected Radius, a decision she describes as “definitely the best decision I’ve ever made.”

What set Radius apart was their white-label approach. “One key aspect I really appreciated about Radius is that they didn’t insist on having their name appear in our materials,” she notes. “It was all about 1Vision.”

This arrangement allowed 1Vision to operate under its own brand identity while leveraging Radius’s technology backbone. “Our agents were named under 1Vision on the MLS, on our contracts we could put 1Vision,” Magdaleno says, contrasting this with other companies that require their branding on all materials.

The partnership offered an ideal balance: robust technology infrastructure without sacrificing brand identity. “I didn’t want it to be about the technology partner. I wanted it to be about 1Vision. I wanted my voice to be heard,” Magdaleno explains.

A Different Approach to Mentorship

Magdaleno’s approach to agent support differs significantly from industry norms, particularly in mentorship. Rather than pairing new agents with busy top producers, a common practice that often leaves newcomers without adequate guidance, she personally oversees all mentorship.

“One of our key differentiators is our mentorship program,” Magdaleno explains. “I completely manage it, so everyone from my brand new agents to my top producers works directly with me. I coach and mentor everyone.”

This hands-on approach stems from her observation that top producers often lack the time to properly mentor newcomers: “Top producing agents are typically focused on their own business and clients. They rarely have time to properly support a mentee with questions.”

Beyond Traditional Brokerage Resources

1Vision distinguishes itself through unique agent resources:

In-house content production: “We offer in-house videography for social media content. We’ve built 1Vision Studios in our back room, which spans about 2,000 square feet with three stages.” This facility includes podcast recording capabilities, green screen technology, and multiple production stages.

Event space: “We have a modern, beautiful 10,000 square foot space that our agents can use to host seminars, first-time buyer workshops, seller presentations, something most offices cannot offer for free.”

Advanced technology at reduced cost: Through the Radius partnership, 1Vision provides agents with enterprise-level tools at a fraction of the usual price. “We can provide KV Core for $50 a month, compared to the approximately $700 independent agents would typically pay.”

No monthly fees: Unlike many brokerages that charge technology or desk fees, 1Vision has eliminated monthly charges. “We don’t charge a monthly fee, only if agents want a CRM, which is exceptional for a boutique brokerage.”

Rethinking Lead Generation

Magdaleno is also reimagining how brokerages provide leads to agents. Rather than purchasing leads from third-party platforms that take substantial referral fees, 1Vision is developing its own lead generation system called List Wiser.

“With Zillow leads, after paying Zillow 40%, the brokerage 20%, and your mentor, some agents are left with only 20 to 25% of the deal,” Magdaleno explains. “We’re building a company focused on generating seller leads that we’ll distribute to our agents without the 40% fee to external platforms.”

A Vision for the Future

As the real estate industry evolves, Magdaleno’s vision remains centered on agent empowerment through technology, mentorship, and innovative resources. By combining the operational advantages of a technology partner like Radius with the personalized support of a boutique brokerage, 1Vision represents an emerging model for real estate companies navigating a changing market.

For Magdaleno, whose journey has taken her from short sale specialist to law school to brokerage leadership, the mission remains consistent: creating an environment where agents can succeed and where her voice and vision can make a meaningful impact on the industry.